Products that generate less noise during operation are generally perceived as being superior to those that are noisy, even though the latter may outperform the former in other areas. Acoustic or noise control is therefore an important consideration in the design of many consumer products, examples of which include portable consumer electronics, personal entertainment systems, computers, and peripherals of such devices.
Vibration and noise may be induced by virtue of the way the product operates. This can be seen in a data storage device that includes a rotatable disc stack assembly in a housing. As the disc stack assembly rotates during drive operations, it drags along with it the surrounding air or fluid, thereby creating a movement of fluid within the housing. If the data storage device includes structure or devices that impede or redirect the fluid movement, fluid induced vibrations of the structure or devices may occur. Such vibrations may be amplified as they are transmitted to adjoining structure or devices. This contributes to the noise level of the data storage device, and thus adds to the overall noise level of the consumer product associated with the data storage device. Since the very structure and devices that resulted in the higher noise levels may be instrumental in improving the performance of the data storage device in other aspects, there is a need to provide for noise control without compromising the overall performance of the product.
The following provides examples of how the present invention provides a solution to meet this need while offering various other advantages to both the manufacturer and the consumer.